Cell-door operating and locking means.



No; 897,317. PATENTED 31 11, 1908.

- R. 0. & W. A. STEWARTQ' CELL DOOR OPERATING AND LOOKING MEANS.

APIEIOATION IILED JULY17,1907.

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MHz-2 7775- WMQLM PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

R. 0. & W. A. STEWART. CELL DOOR OPERATING AND LOOKING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1907.

V 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. RICHARD C. STEWART AND WALLACE A. STEWART, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS TO STEWARTJAIDWORKS COMPANY, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

CELL-DOOR OPERATING AND LOCKING MEANS.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Application filed July 17, 1907. Serial No. 384,261.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, RICHARD C. STEW- ART and WALLACE A. STEWART, citizens of the UnitedStates, and residing at Covington, Kenton county, State of Kentucky ,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cell-Door Op eratingjand Locking Means;

'as to dispense with direct and immediate manipulation of the doors at each cell. The cells in such cases are usually grouped in rows or tiers and generally provided with an inclosed passage or exercising corridor which is arrangedin front of them and with "which all cells in a particular group communicate by means of their door-o enings. The position above referred to and from which such a group of doors is controlled and manipulated, together with the means used for such purpose is usually one outside ofthis corridor, or in a guard-room, so that the attendant need not necessarily come in contact with any of the prisoners, since he need not pass in front of each cell-door for the purpose of manipu' lating the same. Doors arranged for such manipulation are usually sliding doors and our present invention relates to doors of that kind and likewise to such which look also automatically when moving into closing posi tion. Various means and devices have been used for manipulating such doors from the controlling position. They generally comprise instrumentalities for unlocking the doors which, after having been operated, permit the door to be pushed open by the particular cell inmate. This is shown in one of our patents No. 680,288. Means have also been devised whereby a number of doors-or any particular one only may be unlocked and thereafter opened as for instance in another one of our patents No. 645,575. Means have also been used whereby an open door may be moved into closing position, in which position it also becomes locked automatically as for instance shown in our patent first mentioned (No. 680,288). Means are usually provided whereby an automatically locked door may also in additionbe positively or dead locked.

Our present invention provides certain means whereby any one door may be unlocked or a number of them simultaneously.

It provides also means whereby any particular door, or a number of them, after un-' locked, may be slid open, and the open doors thereafter again moved into closing position, all manipulations required for the purpose being performed at one point, viz. the posi tion above referred to. The doors become automatically looked as soon'as they arrive in closing position. In this position they may also in addition be locked positively, or dead-locked. All these means are also so arranged that for purposes of this general operation which controls all the doors from the'outside, they may be. rendered inoperative, after which each door may be manipulated directly, and independently locked or unlocked by direct manual operation.

Finally there are also features of construction in general and in detail.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof, will be found a full description of our invention, together with its operation, parts and construction which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1, shows in elevation with parts broken away, part of the front of a group of cells, two adjoining cells being shown, the door of the first cell being closed and locked by means operating automatically, the door of the second cell being 0 en. .Fig; 2, is a ground-plan or horizonta section of the front part of these cells. Fig. 3, is a vertical section of the cell-front. Fig. 4, in a view similar to Fig. 1, shows the upper part of the cell-front shown in said figure the door of the first cell is shown in the act of being opened, the other door being closed and locked by means operating automatically. Fig. 5, is another view similar to Figs. 1. and 4, being limited however to the upper part of the front of. the first cell only, the door being shown closed and locked by the automatically operating means as illustrated in the preceding figure, said means however being now positively held in such locking position or dead-locked by additional means. Fig.

6, shows the box which contains the manipulating parts of the outfit and is provided at the end of the group of cells. The interior of the box is shown as it appears when viewed from the left side of Figs. 1 and 4-, and with its door open. Fig. 7, is a top-view partlyin section of the operating and manipulating parts whereby the doors are opened. and closed. Fig. 8, is a similar view of the means and parts whereby the door is suspended and whereby it is locked and unlocked, these parts being located below the parts shown in Fig. 7, as may be seen in Fig. 5, above these two views. Fig. 9, is an enlarged vertical crosssection on line 9 of Fig. 5 10, is a similar view taken on line 10, of Fig. 5. Fig. 11, is another similar section taken on line 1 1, of Fig. 5. Fig. 12, is an enlarged sectional detail view of a certain coupling. Fig. 13, is an enlarged sectional detail view of the locking means at the front edges of the doors, and Fig. 14-, shows in a similar view holding means at the rear edges of the doors. All of these details will be more fully dcscrlbed hereinafter.

In the drawing, A, B, and. C, indicate the first three of a row of cells grouped together for common. manipulation from one general position which is indicated at D, and where the means used for such manipulation, looking, unlocking, opening and closing, are located. These means may be inclosed in a box, in which case letter D, may indicate such box. It is provided with a door d, which may be locked so that access to these operating means may be properly controlled.

The cell-fronts which contain the dooropenings E, are all open towards a common passage or corridor F, which however may be separated from the position of the attendant at D, by a grated partition j, which is provided with. an independently controllable door (not shown). The attendant may therefore manipulate and control all doors from position D, as will be presently described, without eoming in contact with any of the prisoners released into passage F, and from whom he is separated by partition f.

The cells are separated from each other by partitions G, and the front wall of each cell between these partitions is shown as consisting of two wall portions H, and J, with the door-openings E, between them. Above the door-openings and between them and the ceiling K, the entire front is closed by a narrow wall-portion Z. In front of this narrow portion an elongated, box-shaped inlcosure or casing L, is formed, which extends along all of the cell fronts above their dooropenings and contains the larger part of the door-manipulating, locking, and unlocking devices.

M, are the doors consisting preferably of open grate-work and provided at their upper edges with hangers N, which have rollers a,

whereby the doors are hung upon track-rails 0, (see Figs. 5, and 10,) which are attaclurd to the cell-front above the door-openings and whereby they are supported so to have a sliding motion. hen opened, these doors slide in front of the wall portion J, of the cell front-wall, as shown for cell B, in Figs. 1. and 2. For so manipulating these doors, that is for moving them laterally in either direction from closed to open position and back again, there is a door-manipulating bar P, supported in bracket bearings 7 attached to the cell-front. For sake of brevity we call this bar hereafter door-bar. It has a movement in a longitudinal direction. of an. extent suflicient to move a door from one of its extreme positions to the other one, see the two doors in Fig. 1. Its operative connection. to the doors for such purpose is by means of arms Q, one for each door and which, when in operative position, occupy the space between two lugs gq, a set of which is carried by each door. For convenience sake they are mounted on one of the two door-hangers l.

The longitudinal movement of bar l, is obtained by a screw-movement, which. is as follows: At one end of bar P, the left one in this case, is formed or attached a screw or worm R, which is fitted to and. occupies a nut 7", supported so as to be held fixedly in longitudinal direction but free to rotate, so that when rotated, it will push screw ll, with door-bar P, in longitudinal direction. Screw R, is prevented from rotating with. the nut by means of a forked guide S, provided. with a hub whereby it is rigidly mounted upon the screw said guide being fitted to a guide bar 8, attached to the cell-wall so that while it is free to move on bar .9 longitudinally with the screw, it cannot rotate. (See Figs. 7 and 10). Nut 1", is secured to the end of a sleeve T, to which it is rigidly connected, the sleeve being supported in. bracket-bearings if, 1, within. casing L, there being also an additional bracket 25, outside in box D, to support the end of the sleeve which projects into this box. The sleeve is rotated by a chainwheel U, which is provided upon it, which. by means of a chain a, is driven from an other chain-wheel V, mounted upon a shaft i), which is supported upon a standard \V, in the lower part of box D. A crank-handle re, is provided on this shaft for its rotation, access to which however is controlled. by door (Z. X, is merely a guide-roller for this chain. It will now be seen how by operation. of crank-handle w, immovable nut r, and the longitudinally movable bar P, the doors may be manipulated for opening and closing, the screw at the end of bar P, moving in and out of sleeve '1 and back and forth in nut r.

The doors lock automatically when moving into closing position, for which purpose they are provided at their front edges with laterally projecting catches 15, the upper edges of which are notched and inclined in front of these notches. When the doors move into closing position, their front edge butts against a hollow jamb 16, the side of which towards the-edge of the door is provided withslots 1.7, to permit catches 15, to enter. Vithin each jamb and close to the slotted side thereof there is a latch-bar 18', so supported as to have a limited sliding movement on the slotted side of the j amb in a vertical direction, and parallel to this side, it being held to this movement by suitable guiding means, like for instance, headedpins 19, which project from the inside of the jamb, and pass through slots in the latchbar. There are also slots 21, in these bars corresponding in size to slots 17, and the longitudinal sides of all slots aline with each other in both sets.

In the normal position of latch-bars 18, and when they are not engaged, the upper ends of slots 21 therein are somewhat below the upper ends of slots 17 in the jambs, the difference in position between the two being substantially equal to the depth of the notches in catches 15. Otherwise, slots 17, and 21, register however, with each other, so that catches 15, may simultaneously enter the slots in the j ambs and in the latch-bars when the doors are moving into their closing position as shown in Fig. 13. In due time and during the last part of the closing movement, the inclined edges of catches 15, encounter the upper edge of slots 21 in the latch-bars, which edges thereupon ride up on these inclined edges, whereby said bars are momentarily lifted, to be dropped how ever immediately into the notches of the catches as soon as these notches have arrived below the upper ends of slots 21, of the latch-bars. These latter are supported to slide and drop freely, so that they act instantly and impelled by their weight, lock the doors at once.

The means used for unlocking the doors are arranged as follows: The latch-bars for their support are each hingedly connected at the latch-bar for each door.

their upper ends to one end of lifting levers 22, pivotally supported in casing L, one for By preference and to obtain greater structural rigidity we combine the pivotal supports for these lifting levers with. bracket-bearings p, of door-bar P, and with one of the bracket-bearings t, of sleeve T, lugs being provided on the underside of these parts which form these supports. The caps of the bearings 29 and t are held by bolts at their front flange only, a pin 20 being used at the rear flange, see Fig. 9. Work during erection, in a position not ready accessible is thereby facilitated.

The lifting-levers are shaped as shown in l the drawings, with'both of their ends depending somewhat below the point of their pivotal support. For lifting the connected end of these levers, meaning those ends which connect to the latch-bars, we provide a number of cams 23, projecting from hubs, whereby they are rigidly mounted upon a bar 24, by which they are manipulated. for the pur pose of unlocking and dead-locking the doors, and which bar 24, we hereafter term locking-bar. This bar is supported below bar P, in bearings 25 and is capable of a limited longitudinal movement sufficient to shift cams 23 carried by it in either direction, and so as to act upon either one of the ends of these lifting-levers. For such purpose this lockingbar 24, which extends over the entire length of the connected cell-group is also extended from casing L, out into box D, where its end is attached to an operating lever 26, pivot ally mounted at 27, in box D. Referring now to Fig. 1, it -will be seen that the first cell-door is closed and locked, and its corresponding cam 23, is in an inactive or neutral position below the particular lifting lever and between the two ends of the same. If now this cam, by means of bar 24, and by manipulation of lever 26, is moved to the right as shown for the first door in Fig. 4, and so as to pass under the connected end of the liftinglever thereat, this particular end will be elevated and lift latch-bar 18, in jamb 16, out of catches 15, on the door, thereby releasing this latter. The door may now be opened by manipulating door-bar P, by means of crank w, as shown in same figure which also shows this door in the act of being slid open.

As stated. in the preamble the arrangement is such that any particular door, may be unlocked and opened at a time, or a number of them may be unlocked and opened simulta neously. For such purpose cams 23, are arranged on the hubs, from which they project, as follows: There are two cams on each hub, and a set of two such cams for every door, the position of one of which cams in each set with respect to locking-bar 24, and to the. lifting-levers, is the same on all hubs and for all doors. This means that if this particular cam on one hub is under its corresponding lifting-lever, all the other cams are in the same position with reference to their liftinglevers, so that if bar 24, is now moved longitudinally to the right, by means of manipulating lever 26, all lifting levers will be acted upon and all latch-bars will be raised so as to unlock all doors. The position of the other of the two cams on each hub is one individual thereto and to the particular door so that, when one of these cams on a particular hub is in position for action under its lifting-lever, none of the other cams on the other hubs are in such a position. This distribution is accomplished by dividing the cams as to position radially around on the hubs, that is to say each cam projectsfrom its hub, or what is the same, from bar 24, in a radius located differently from the radius in which any of the other cams project, there being as many different radial positions as there are doors, in addition to the general position of the cam first mentioned for simultaneous operation and which is the same on all hubs. In order to bring now any particular one of the indi vidual cams in position ready for action under its corresponding lifting lever, bar 24, on which the hubs, carrying these cams, are mounted is also given a rotary motion in its bearings 25, in addition to the sliding one it has therein, so that by proper rotation, any particular cam may be placed in position ready for action under its lifting lever. In view of this compound motion, lever 26, does not attach directly to the end. of bar 24, but to an interposed. sleeve 28, within which this bar may rotate, the sleeve being longitudinally confined on bar 24, between two collars 29 rigidly affixed thereto. For purpose of such rotation, a chain-wheel 31, is mounted. upon bar 24, to which it is operatively held by means of a usual spline which permits bar 24, to shift longitudinally when manipulated by lever 26, without loosening its operative connection with the chain-wheel. This latter is prevented from moving with bar 24, by means of a forked bracket 32, which engages an annular groove in the hub of this chain- Wheel and is attached to the rear wall of box D. Wheel 31 is rotated by another wheel 33, of equal size, both being connected by a chain 30, so that to whatever extent the lower wheel is rotated, the upper wheel will follow likewise. It will now be seen that rotation of bar 24, may be readily controlled for the purpose of bringing any particular one of cams 23 in operative positionunder its lifting-lever, if means are provided to conveniently gage such rotation. This is done by means substantially shown in our Patent No. 645,575, a graduated dial 34, being used, which is set by means of a handle 35. This dial has as many graduations as there are doors, one for each cam individual to each door. In addition it has a graduation-mark designated all, and which corresponds to the other cams used for simultaneous action upon all lifting levers and which. cams are all alined and in the same position, with reference to bar 24. It is clear now, dial 34, being operatively connected to the lower chainwheel 33, that this latter will follow the dial when set for any particular door, and its rotation is transmitted to an equal extent to the upper wheel 31, and by it to bar 24.

This arrangement whereby any particular door may be unlocked or all of them simultaneously, requires of course a corresponding arrangement of the means for sliding the unlocked doors open. In other words the adjusting of the door-unlocking means for any certain door must also be accompanied by an equivalent adjustment of the door-opening means, so that an opening-arm Q, on door bar P, is in proper position at the right time when a particular door has been unlocked. This is accomplished as follows: Doorbar P, in addition to its longitudinal movement before described, is also arranged to rotate to an equal extent with locking-bar 24, such being arranged by a set of gear-wl'reels 36, one mounted on each bar, see Fig. 1, also Fig. 11. These wheels are supported in a bracket 37, attached within casing L, to the cell-frmrt and in which bracket, these gear-wheels are fixedly held against longitudinal movement, operative connection for rotation bein ma intained with each bar by grooves and keys the former being in the shafts. The gearwheels are of equal size, to that the extent of rotation for each bar is the same. We show an idler-between them which is however of no significance and merely done to keep the size of the gear-wheels down to suit casing .li. Since worm R, cannot and should not p arti ci pate in this rotation, a coupling 38, is provided between it and door-bar P, whereby both are endwise connected for joint longitudinal movement, while bar P, is at the Game time free to rotate independently of the worm, see Fig. 12. Arms Q, are distributed radially around bar P, in a manner corresponding to cams 23, so that each projects radially in a direction different from all others, the arrangement being such that when a cam is set to raise the latch-bar of an y particular door, to unlock the same, the arm to be used to slide such door open arrives also at the same time, by reason of the simul taneous rotation of bars 24, and P, in proper position between its corresponding lugs q-q, on the door, and is ready for actim'i. .l..l1crc is also a second set of arms Q, all alined and projecting all in the same direction from bar P, to simultaneously move all doors, there being such an arm on each of the hubs which. carries the other arm, and which set corrosponds to the similarly arranged set of cams on bar 24, whereby all doors are simultaneously unlocked The simultaneous rotary adjustment of bars 24, and P, is best illustrated in Fig. fl, where cam 23, on bar 24, has been set for unlocking the door of the first cell A, while arm Q, on bar P, has also been. set for sliding this door open soon as unlocked. In Fig. 4,

bar 24, has been shifted to the right whereby cam .13, acts upon the lifting-lever above it so that the same door becomes now unlocked. After this bar P, is also moved to the right whereby arm Q, slides the door open. (the parts being shown in this act.) (am 23 rei mains in position under its lifting lever above it, until the door catches 15, carried by the door have become clear of the latch-bar, as shown in Fig. 4, note also position of slots 21 and 17. As will be observed these manipuidll III)

lations have not affected any of the means used for manipulating the door of any other cell (note adjoining cell, in same figure.) Preceding the adjustment for opening any other door, bar 24 is shifted back again to a neutral or inoperative position with reference to the lifting levers 22, as shown in Fig.

1, in which position it may be freely rotated leaving this bar however in its neutral posi- .tion as above descrlbed and as shown in Fig.

1, unlocking cam 23 thereon, will not affect any of the lifting levers above it, and the latch bars remain in their lower position and ready to receive and hold catches 15, of any door, which becomes locked as soon as moved into its closed position.

A door may be slid open entirely, or remain partly open in any intermediate position in which it is left, by breaking the engagement between it and its particular moving arm Q. This is done by manipulation of handle 35, whereby bar P, is caused to rotate so as to swing such arm out from between its complementary lugs q-q. A

'door may be picked up again from such an intermediate position by moving bar P, lengthwise with the particular arm Q previously readjusted by rotation of said bar to proper position, that is vertically below it. When bar P is moved lengthwise now and arm Q approaches lugs q (1, it depresses the first one encountered, they being yieldingly seated upon springs, and after having passed over this lug, they being inclined at their upper ends to facilitate this, and having arrived again in the space between these lugs, (the depressed lug returning immediately to its normal position), said arm becomes positively engaged again between the lugs and operative connection of the door to its manipulating means is reestablished.

In addition to the two positions of the unlocking cams 23, obtained by two longitudinal adjustments of bar 24 as already explained, the neutral one being shown in- Fig. 1, and the operative one for unlocking in Fig. 4, there is a third adjustment of this bar as shown in Fig. 5, which we call the deadlocking position, and the effect of which is that all latch-bars are positively held down by their lifting levers. For such purpose bar 24, by means of lever 26, is moved to the left, sufliciently so to bring circular cams 39 under the free ends of all the lifting-levers,

sary to permit raising of the latch-bars, is'

unlocked door to slide it open.

prevented. Lever 26, carries ausual locking pawl, whereby in conjunction with a notched arm 41, it may be locked, to hold for the time being, bar 24, in either of its adjusted positions.

A condensed resum of the various manipulations explained in connection with the figures of the drawings is now in place. The operating parts for manipulating the means for unlocking and locking the doors and for moving them laterally are contained in a box D, provided with a lockable door to control access to them. Handle 35, is used to rotate bar 24, while in neutral position as shown in Fig. 1, to adjust the cams 23 thereon preparatory to the unlocking of either any one particular door, or of all of them. By shifting thereafter by means of lever 26, the bar so adjusted lengthwise to the right as shown in Fig. 4, any particular door or all of them may now be unlocked, according to the preceding adjustment. In Fig. 1, the door of the second cell B, is open, in Fig. 4, it is closed. Cam 23, in Fig. 1, is set for unlocking the door of the first cell A, while in Fig. 4, said cam by manipulation of bar 24, by means of lever 26, has been shifted to the right, to unlock this door. The rotary adjustment of bar 24, has also caused rotation of bar P, and adjusted the. particular doormoving arm Q, thereon for engagement with In Fig. 4, this opening movement is shown, it being done by moving rod P, to the right. This operation is performed by manipulating crank-handle w,.so as to rotate sleeve P) with stationary nut 1", thereby pushing out worm R, coupled to end of bar P. It will be noted that neither of these manipulations have affected the door of the second cell B, either in its open position shown in Fig. 1, or in its closed one shown in Fig. 4. The mere closing of a door causes it to become also automatically locked by engagement of its catches 15 with latch-bars 18, cams 23, to be in neutral position at the time. Note condition of parts with reference to door of second cell in Fig. 1, also see Fig. 13. By shifting bar 24, by means of lever 26, to its extreme position to the left as shown in Fig. 5, circular cams 39, engage all the liftinglevers in a manner to hold them immovable, so that the automatically locked doors become now also positively locked ordeadlocked. By returning lever26, to its inter mediate position, thereby shifting cams 23, to their neutral or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1, and by manipulating handle 35, to rotate arms Q, into an intermediate position in which they will not engage any door, all thesedoors become disconnected from the general operating parts controlled from box D, and each door may be manipulated independently for unlocking by direct manual operation. For such purpose .we

provide locks 42, in the hollow jambs, the olts of which act against a complementary lug 43, on each latch-bar for the purpose of engaging them directly to raise or lower the same. After a latch-bar has beeen raised in this manner, the particular door becomes free and may be slid open by hand. In addition to these locks, there are still other locks 44, whereby any door may be deadlocked independently of the general operat ing means provided. for that purpose. The bolt of such a lock when used engages one of catches 15 on the door, by passing into a notch 45, on the lower edge of this catch, thereby holding the same and preventing the particular door from being moved open, even if its latch-bar should have been raised. See Figs. 1 and 13. This lock may be used for instance in a case Where the larger number of cells, or perhaps all of them except one, is to be unlocked and in. which case this particular cell is dead-locked by it. The doors of all the other cells may thus be unlocked sinniltaneously, lever 26, being used to advantage, handle 35, having first been set for the all cells position. These doors could of course be also unlocked each by itself by use of locks 42 as before described.

A door is held. to a straight movement, at its lower edge while sliding, by guide-blocks 46. When in closed position, its rear-edge is firmly held by complementary lips 47, which pass over each other, as best shown in Fig. 14 and interlock. They are preferably made of short pieces of angleiron, one being secured to the edge of the door-opening, and the other to the rear-upright bar of the door.

The front-wall of easing L, is provided with openings above the cell-doors to permit access to the operating parts for lubricating or other purposes. The doors for these 0 enings are controlled from box D, into wiich the end of a sliding rod extends which is provided with a handle 48, for manipulation whenever required. (See Fig. 2.) This feature is however not new here.

Crank-handle w, is provided with an opening which may be brought to registering position with a perforated lug 49, within box I). Nhen in such. position a pad-lock 50, may be inserted for locking the crank-handle, thereby conferring additional security. See Fig. 6.

It is obvious that special and additional combinations for manipulating the cells may be provided for by arranging the number and position of cams 23 and of arms Q. Thus for instance where there is a row of cells of considerable length, they may be sub-divided for the all manipulation in two or three groups, so that instead of manipulating all cells at once, they may be manipulated by groups. This is readily accomplished by arranging the position of the particular cams 23, and arms Q. Or such a manipulation. in groups may be added to the all manipulation by simply providing an additional wingcam 23 and an additional arm Q, in each set, analogous to the arrangement indicated in. our Patent No. 645,575.

Having described our invention, we claim as new:

1. In cell-door manipulating means, the combination of a series of alined, sliding celldoors, locking means for each which act automatically when a door is closed, two bars supported above these doors parallel to their upper edges, one of which is adapted to be operatively connected to all the loekingmeans mentioned, the other in like manner to the doors, and means to shift each bar length-wise and whereby, when the first bar is shifted, the locking-means of all doors are acted upon to unlock them, after which when the second. bar is shifted, the unlocked doors may be moved in either direction.

2. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell doors provided with. locking means, a longitudinally movable bar supported above their upper edges, arms rigidlv connected to this bar, and complenientar projections at the upper edges of the doors adapted to be engaged by the former, and means to adjust this bar length-wise for the purpose of moving the doors from one of their extreme positions into the other one and baek again.

3. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell-doors, a longitudinally movable bar supported above them, means to operatively connect the doors thereto, a worm at one end of this bar, a nut which receives the same and which is supported in a manner to be free to rotate in a longitudinally fixed position, devices to rotate this nut and. means to prevent the worm from rotating with the nut.

4. In combination with. a series of alined, sliding cell-doors, a longitudinally movable bar supported above them, having also a re tary movement, devices to operatively connect any or all doors to this bar, means to rotate this latter for purpose of such connection and means to slide it longitudinally to move the doors connected thereto.

5. In combination with. a series of alined. sliding cell-doors, a longitudinally jn'iovahle bar supported. above them, having also a rotary movement, arms on. said bar one for eaeh door, there being also projections on the upper edges of said doors adapted to be en gaged by these arms, which arms are mounted in different radial positions so that when one arm. engages any particular door, no other door is so engaged, means to rotate this bar for purposes of such engagement. and means to move it with the connected doors longitudinally.

6. In combination withv a series of alined, sliding doors provided with. locking catches, a vertically movable latch-bar ad apted to engage these catches for the purpose of locking the doors, lifting-levers pivotally supported between their ends and each connected with one of its ends to alatch-bar so that, when one of these latter is raised by its connected lifting-lever, the particular door becomes unlocked, a bar supported above the doors in a manner to permit its longitudinal as well as rotary movement, cams mounted thereon, there being one adapted to co-act with the lifting-lever of each latch-bar, each being mounted in different radial position so that, when one cam is adapted to act upon a certain lifting-lever, none of the other cams is in such position, means to rotarily adjust this bar for such action, and means to move the same length-wise after its rotary adjustment, to cause an adjusted cam to act upon its corresponding lifting-lever,

7. In combination with a series of alined, sliding doors provided with looking catches, a vertically movable latch-bar adapted to engage these catches for the purpose of locking the doors, lifting-levers pivotally supported between their ends and each connected with one of its ends to a latch-bar so that, when one of these latter is raised. by its connected lifting-lever, this particular door becomes unlocked, a bar supported above the doors in a manner to permit its longitudinal as well as rotary movement, cams mounted thereon, there being a set of two adapted to co-act with the lifting-lever of each latch-bar, one cam in each set being so mounted that when it is adapted to act upon its respective lifting-lever, a cam in all other sets is in similar position, so that all lifting-levers may be acted upon simultaneously, the other cams in each set being each mounted in a different radial position, so that when one of them is adjusted to co-act with itsparticular liftinglever, none of the others is capable of doing so, means to rotarily adjust the bar for such purpose and means to shift it length-wise to cause the adjusted cams to act upon their respective lifting-levers.

8. In combination with a series of alined, sliding doors provided with locking-catches, a vertically movable latch-bar for each door adapted to engage these catches for the purpose of locking the doors, lifting-levers pivotally supported between their ends and each connected with one of its ends to a latch-bar so that, when one of these latter is raised by its connected liftinglever, the particular door becomes unlocked, a bar supported above the doors in a manner to permit its rotary as well as longitudinal adjustment, un locking and dead-locking cams mounted on this bar, means to rotarily adjust this latter and the unlocking cams thereon to enable the adjusted unlocking cams to act upon the lifting-levers and means to shift this bar lengthwise to cause, when moved in one direction, the unlocking cams to pass under the connected ends of the lifting-lever to raise the latch-bars for unlocking the doors, and when moved in the other direction, to cause the dead-locking cams to pass under the free ends of the liftingdevers, to prevent them from raising the latch-bars.

9. In combination with a series of alined, sliding celldoors, locking-means operating automatically for locking them; a bar supported to have a rotary as well as a longitudinal adjustment, cams on this bar adapted to act upon the locking means for releasing the doors, means torotarily adjust this bar so that only certain cams are capable of such action at a time, means to shift this bar length-wise to cause the adjusted cams to act, another bar also supported so as to have a longitudinal as well as rotary adjustment, projections on this bar adapted to engage the unlocked doors to move them in either direction, operative connection between the two bars whereby, when the first bar is rotarily adjusted to permit unlocking of certain doors, the second bar is also adjusted to engage the doors which are unlocked. by the shifting of the first bar, and means to shift the second bar to move the doors unlocked by the first bar.

10. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell-doors provided with locking means, a bar supported above themin a manner to have a rotary as well as a longitudinal adjustment, intervening unlocking means adapted to be actuated by this bar to act upon the locking-means, means to rotarily adjust this bar so that the locking-means of certain doors only will be acted upon for unlocking, means to shift this rotarily ad justed bar longitudinally whereby the particular locking-means will be so acted upon, another bar having arms adapted to engage the unlocked doors to move them, gearwheel connection between it and the bar first mentioned whereby, when the first bar is adjusted to unlock certain doors, the second bar is also adjusted to engage with its arms the unlocked doors, a screw at one end of this second bar, a coupling whereby both are connected for longitudinal movement, a nut fitted to the screw and supported so as to be free to rotate in a longitudinally fixed position, and means to rotate this nut to shift screw and connected bar to move the unlocked door.

11. In means for manipulating, unlocking, opening and closing, sliding cell-doors, the combination with a series of such doors which are alined, of means which look automatically when a door assumes its closed position, a door-bar and a locking bar supported parallel above these doors, each in a manner to have a rotary as well as a longitudinal adjustment, intervening unlocking means between the locking-bar and the means which look the doors automatically, adjusting means whereby the locking bar is caused to operate the unlocking means with respect to certain doors only, means on the door bar whereby the same is operatively connected to the doors, and means whereby the two bars are connected for simultaneous rotary adjustment and which operate so that when the locking bar is adjusted to unlock certain doors, the door bar is automatically conneeted to the unlocked doors for the purpose of moving them.

12. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell-doors, a bar for moving them laterally which is supported so as to be capable of rotary as well as longitudinal movement, arms projecting from this bar in different radial directions one for each door and adapted to engage them, means to rotarily adjust this bar so as to engage a certain door, a worm at one end of this bar, a coupling whereby the two are connected in a manner to permit this bar to rotate independently of the worm, a nut fitted to receive the worm and supported so as to be free to rotate in a longitudinally fixed position, and means to rotate this nut to cause worm and bar to move longitudinally.

13. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell-doors, provided with automatically acting locking means, a. bar to actuate these means for unlocking these doors, another bar to move them when unlocked, both bars being so supported as to have a rotary as well as a longitudinal adjustment, a door-controlled box at one end of the series of cells into which the ends of these bars extend for their manipulation and means contained in this box for such manipulation.

14. In combination with a series of alined, sliding celldoors provided with locking means, a bar to actuate these locking means for unlocking these doors, another bar to move them when unlocked, both bars being supported to have a longitudinal movement for such purpose, they being also capable of a rotary adjustment whereby certain doors only are acted upon by them, an inclosure at one end of the cell-series into which the ends of these bars extend for manipulation, means provided in this inelosure and connect ed to the end of one of these bars to rotarily adjust the same, means whereby both bars are operatively connected to each other so that rotation of one bar causes also rotation of the other, and manipulating means in the inclesure whereby each bar may be moved longitudinally.

1.5. In combination with a series of alined, sliding cell-doors provided with locking means, two longitudinally movable bars adapted to be operatively connected to these doors, one bar to unlock them, the other one to move them after unlocked, a worm at the end of this latter or door-moving bar, a nut fitted to this worm, a sleeve upon one end olf' which the nut is rigidly mounted, means which support this sleeve so as to permit it to rotate in a longitudinally fixed position, a lever to shift the unlocking bar lengthwise, and means to rotate the sleeve.

16. In combination with a series of celldoors provided with locking means, a rotarily supported and longitudinally movable bar, a series of wing-shaped unlocking cams rad ially projecting from the bar, one for each door, a circular, dead-locking cam at the end of each wing-earn, and means to adjust the bar so that either one of the cams only ail'ects the locking means.

17. In combination with a series of sliding cell-doors, a door-moving bar supported to permit longitudinal movement, arms on, this bar, one for each cell-door, and spring-actuated lugs inclined. at their upper ends carried by the doors and spaced to receive between them, one of the arms mentioned.

18. In combination with a series of cell* doors provided with catches, vertically movable latch-bars provided with slots which these catches are adapted to occupy when a door is closed and in which position they be come engaged by the latchebars, thereby looking a door, means to manipulate the latch-bars from a distance to release the catches engaged thereby, a lock located at each door and a notched projection adapted to engage with the bolt thereof, after which, when so engaged, a door is held in locked position, irrespective of the latches and without interfering with their manipulation.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aiiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD C. STEWART. WVALLACE A. S'IEWAIRT.

WVitnesses C. SPENGEL, T. Ln BEAN. 

